When the Time Comes
by eternal1990
Summary: You know something bad is going to happen; but you don't know when or how it will happen. So what do you with the time that you have left?


**Hello everyone. Since I have Writers block with some of my other Sonic fics I decided to write another one to maybe help me flesh out some ideas in the long run.**

**This one deals with Maria and Shadow's life on the ARK, but will be told with a much darker tone. And I decided to throw the Dark Legion in there as well for fun. However this does not tie in with my other series. I changed some things around as to what if scenarios because of this actually happened, it would make a much more interesting plot. But what fanfics or for.**

**Again as always if you feel I should be doing something different. Let me know in a review or a PM. I will respond.**

**With that, Enjoy.**

**All Sonic related characters do not belong to me. They either belong to Sega or Archie Comics**

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Chapter 1

Did you ever get the feeling that time is not moving at all? Well that was all Maria Robotnik could think about as she walked down the barren halls of space colony ARK.

Maria had lived there ever since she was infant; and judging how things seemed to be, it looked like she wasn't leaving anytime soon.

The blonde haired human stood outside the window looking into her Grandfather's lab. From what she saw, it looked like he was finishing up with his testing's on Project Shadow.

It had only been a few months since Shadow had been created; but within that time period, the two had become so attached, they were almost never seen apart.

Until the time that Shadow had come in to her life, Maria had been very lonely on the ARK. Her parents had died when she was very young and her Grandfather was always busy to give her any mind. Sure there were other kids on board, but they weren't ill like she was, and were only there to be with their parents. So when the black hedgehog had come into her life, it felt like the void in her heart had finally been filled.

After a few more minutes, Shadow finally stepped out of the lab and walked toward her.

"Hi Shadow!" Maria said with happiness in her voice. "How was your training today?"

Shadow looked a little angry.

"The Professor just keeps pushing me! He says it's for my own good; he says that I need to build up y strength, but it hurts so much." He growled.

The young human rested her hand on the black hedgehog's face.

"Shadow, why don't you tell Grandfather how you feel?" She asked.

"He won't listen. You know he won't..."

"But haven't you tried?" Maria asked.

"Many times, but he keeps telling me that I need to push myself. It's the only way that I will become stronger."

"You're strong enough, already." Maria assured him.

"But to the Professor, that's not enough..." Shadow sighed, sadly.

Maria looked innocently at her friend.

"Walk with me to the kitchen?" She asked.

Shadow smiled.

"Would I not?"

The two slowly made their way to one of the ARK's kitchen. This always seemed to be a ritual for the two of them; it was almost like it was there special time of the day when they would have a snack and then go back to their and read books for the rest of the day, or night, it's hard to keep track of time in a place that there is always darkness.

Maria then thought she saw a pair of green glowing eyes from the corner of her vision. She jumped in fright when she turned to see the location, only there was nothing there.

"Maria...?" Shadow asked, concerned.

"It's nothing... I thought I just saw something..." She said as she walked over to the fridge, pulling out some sandwich ingredients.

The two began to make own sandwiches.

"Did you sleep better last night?" Shadow asked.

"Why?" Maria asked.

"I heard you talking in your sleep; you sounded very frightened."

"I must of had a nightmare." She lied.

"Maria... I didn't want to say anything, but this is the fourth time in a month that I have heard you talking in your sleep."

"That doesn't mean anything!" Maria cried in defense.

"I'm just worried about you; ever since..."

"NO... That isn't it!"

"Maria... Does this Dark Legion really bother you?"

"It's not what it is... I just have a lot on my mind!"

"They're not going to hurt us. What reason would they have to come to the ARK?"

"Shadow... Someone could always be watching... You know the story... The two brothers... And the one went insane; killing the other in cold blood."

"What story?" Shadow asked.

"The story of the two brothers, Edmund and Dimitri. An experiment went wrong; and went Dimitri went mad with power, and then... you know..."

"He killed Edmund..."

"Yeah..."

"But that's just a story; just like the story with Tikal and Chaos."

"But don't you think it's ironic that what happened to Chaos also happened to Dimitri?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Well... Ever since they told us the story, I decided to some research of my own; and I don't think it's just a story, I think it's real." The blonde human said with fear in her little voice.

"And you think that Dimitri after all these years is still alive, and is commanding the Legion himself?" Shadow asked.

"Yes... Only now he goes by the name, Enerjak." She explained.

"Maria, you're just bored; I know how lonely you are, but you can't spend your time worrying about something you can't explain. You know it's also not good for your illness."

Maria sighed as she fixed her hair.

"Yeah..."

One of the other scientists came into the room.

"Shadow... You're needed again in the lab." She explained.

"But I just finished!" Shadow protested.

"The Professor said now." Was all the scientist said.

Shadow growled as he got up from the table.

"I'll see you later." He sighed.

"I'll be in my room whenever you finish." She sighed back.

The hedgehog left with the scientist.

Maria sighed heavily as she grabbed her sandwich and made her way back to her room.

The halls were almost pitch black. Normally they wouldn't have bothered her, but that was before she heard the stories, and before he started talking to her.

Maria never told anyone, not even Shadow, what was going on; but that was because he mockingly told her that no one would believe her.

"Who would believe a lonely and sickly little girl?" He had taunted.

So Maria was alone; not even Shadow could stop the torment.

She quietly crept to her bedroom; wanting to lock the door tightly and bury herself deeply in her books and the sounds of her record player in the back round.

Just as she thought she was clear, a cold chilling wind seemed to blow through her hair.

It was impossible as their was no wind on the ARK; which meant, she was not alone.

"Whose there?!" She demanded.

There was no one.

"I know you're there; you're always here... watching me...!" She called out.

There was nothing but silence.

"Am I that amusing to you?!" She demanded.

_"You act as if I do this with nothing but cruelty..." _Came the voice that was plaguing her nightmares.

"You've been acting as if you're my shadow." Maria growled.

_"Why won't you admit little one, you need me..."_

"I don't need you... I'm fine..."

"_You don't seem fine... In fact you seem lonelier than ever."_ The Grandmaster's voice seemed to purr.

"Why would you care? I know you have you're eyes on the ARK, looking for prizes!"

The Grandmaster laughed.

_"Do I really seem that obvious to you?! Honestly..."_

Maria ignored that comment and stormed into her room locking the door, feeling that she was now safe in her bedroom. She walked to her record player and was just about to put a record on it when the record flew out hands and shattered onto the wall.

She looked at it, frightened.

_"_Why won't you leave me alone?" Maria asked as she started to cry.

_"You poor child, there's no need to cry. I'm only doing this for your own good..." _He answered, his voice frighteningly soothing.

"How could this be for my own good?" She whimpered.

_"You know why..."_

"You say that every time and I don't know... What do you mean what I know?"

_"You know that time is running out. Soon the ARK will fall."_

"But I don't understand..." Maria protested.

_"They will be coming... They will be coming to take Shadow away; and silence everyone that lives here."_

"YOU'RE LYING!" Maria screamed.

_"__Why would I lie?"_ He laughed.

"You're just trying to get into my head! You're messing with me!"

_"You know that it's going to end. When you're alone with nothing but your thoughts, you know deep in your heart, that Project Shadow has sealed everyone's fate."_

"But..."

_"You never told anyone that, but I noticed what you thought. A shame that you think that about your own best friend."_

Maria looked down at the ground; Enerjak was right, she did think that way. She knew the end was coming; but she didn't know how long.

"Enerjak... How long till the time comes?" She asked, defeated.

_"I can't tell you for sure..."_

"Then you'll send your Legion here to kill us all?! And take Shadow away!" She snarled with hate in her voice. "I'll tell them all! I'll tell them that you'll come!"

_"Like I've told you... Whose going to believe you? All they will think is that you are crazy. As far as they are concerned, we don't exist." _He laughed.

"I'm not crazy! I'M NOT CRAZY!"

The invisible wind ruffled her hair.

_"All you know is that the end is coming, but you don't know how long. A frightening thought, isn't it_? _But I guess that can't be helped as no one will the end coming; even you won't even see it, even with your prior knowledge."_

Maria said nothing as she slowly sank to the cold metal floor.

_"It looks like I should leave you alone now; but I will back." _The Grandmaster said.

"You always do..." Maria said, emotionlessly.

He then left leaving the tiny human to stare numbly at the wall.

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**So how was that. Let me know in a Review or PM. DEUCES!**


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